Carpenter and Small carpenter Bees

Xylocopinae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Apidae
Subfamily: Xylocopinae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Xylocopinae: //zaɪˈlɒkəˌpaɪniː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Ceratina calcarata female 1 of 2 by Jacy Lucier. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Ceratina dupla M (14003884686) by maxson.erin. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

J20150627-0047—Cypripedium californicum—RPBG (18628461044) by John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Ceratina calcarata f by The Packer Lab. Used under a Attribution license.

Ceratina dupla M (14023807301) by maxson.erin. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Ceratina acantha m by Susan E. Nyoka. Used under a Public domain license.

Summary

The subfamily Xylocopinae (family Apidae) includes carpenter bees and small carpenter bees, comprising 33 species in 2 genera and a total of over 1000 species worldwide. Many inhabit dead wood and exhibit a range of social behaviors, including primitive eusociality.

Physical Characteristics

Some Xylocopinae have a cavity between the thorax and abdomen called an acarinarium, which houses predatory mites that clean external parasites from the bees.

Habitat

The vast majority of Xylocopinae species make nests in dead wood, stems, or pith, inhabiting areas where these materials are available.

Distribution

Worldwide distribution on all continents except Antarctica; specific tribes have varying distributions, with some being cosmopolitan and others restricted to specific regions such as the Andean region or sub-Saharan Africa.

Ecosystem Role

Many Xylocopinae are primitively eusocial, playing significant roles in pollination as well as serving as hosts for predatory mites.